Car-brake.



. Patented July I, I902. F. W. ROCK.

CAB BRAKE (Application filed Oct. 19, 1901.)

(lo Model.)

INVENTOR.

WY-IWES 12.52 fi/wa Q I UNITED STATES- PATENT, OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. ROCK, OF DETROIT,-MIOHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TOROLLIN OFSPRAGUEyEDWARD H. PATTERSON, AND JAMES A. M. MORETON, OFDETROIT, MICHIGAN.

cAR-BBAK E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,614, dated July 1,1902.

Application filed October 19, 1901'. M N (N0 model-l 4 To all whom, itmay concern Beit known that I, FREDERICK W. Rock, a citizen of theUnited States, residing in Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements'inCar-Brakes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which? it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanyingdraw-Z ings, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of the invention are to provide simple and efficient meansfor quickly setting the brake-shoes to the wheels by a directapplication of power and when so set to apply the requisitepressurethereto through mech- 1 anism whereby a great increase ofpoweris obtained, enabling the operator to easily control the'carthrough the manipulation of the hand-wheel connected with the brake mechanism. r

A further object is to provide a quick release for the brakes afterbeing set.

The above objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which-i Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewthrough my improved brake -mechanism and through the platform of a carupon which said mechanism is mounted. Fig. 2'is a detail, partly insection, of the releasing-lever. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe-ratchet-driven gear-wheeland a transverse section through the shaftupon which the ratchet is keyed. Fig. l is a horizontal section as online 4L 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a like section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the platform'of'a car upon which the brake mechanism is mounted. Attached to theunder side of said platform is a case or housing 2, in which theoperating-gears are located and through which passes the"brake-operating shaft 3, that extends vertically through thecar-platform and carries at its upper end the hand-wheel 4. The shaft 3is journaled in the case 2 where it passes therethrough, and the lowerend of said shaft is journaled in a support 5, connected by a suitablebrace 6 to the frame of the car, whereby the lower end of said shaft issuitably braced to withstand the draft of the brake-chain.

Loosely mounted upon the lower end of the shaft 3 is a spool 7, uponwhich the:brakechain 8 is adapted'to wind, .the opposite end system ofbrake-levers. (Not shown.) S'plinedtothelower end of the shaft 3 is aclutch-collar f), adapted to engage the projec'ting shoulders 10 on theplatell, seated fofsaid chain being'attached to any's'uitable Thisinvention relates to car-brakes; and it consists in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outparticularly in the claims.

in a recess in the under side of said spool and secured by'suitablescrews 12. Journaled in a channel in'the periphery of theclutch-collar'is' a ring 13, secured by a pin 14 to alever 15. One endof said lever is fulcrumed at 16 to a support17 depending fromthecar-frame, and at the opposite end thereof is attached a coiled spring.18, whose tension is exerted to normally hold the clutch-collar inengagement with the spool 7, whereby by a rotation of the shaft 3through the medium of the hand-wheel 4. said spoolwill be revolved bythe clutch 9 and the chain wound thereon to carry the brake shoes intocontact with the wheels of the car. j Through the arrangement abovedescribed the slack of the. chainmay be quickly taken up to set thebrake-shoes against the carwheels; but no great power can be exerted onthe brakes, owing'tothe fact that a-direct application only is made ofthe strengthof the brakeman or operator. To provide for an increase ofleverage over the brake-shaft for the purpose of forcibly applying ,thebrakeslioes to the wheels after they have been brought into'cont'acttherewith as above described, a second hand-whe'el19 is employed, ofsomewhat-larger diameter than the handwheel 4. and located slightlybelow said lastmentioned wheel, but concentric therewith.

Said hand-wheel 19 is attached to the upper end of the hollow shaft 20,through which the shaft 3 passes and which is adapted to turnindependently of said shaft. The lower end of the hollow shaft 20 isfirmly secured in a vertical sleeve 21, projecting from the hub of apinion 22, loosely mounted upon the shaft 3. Meshing with the pinion 22is a large gearwheel 23, which is journaled in the case 2 and carriestherewith a pinion 2%, which in turn meshes with a large gear-wheel 25,also loosely mounted upon the shaft 3, but made to rotate said shaftwhen driven through the pinion 2-1 by means of a ratchet-wheel 26, whichis secured to the shaft 3 by a key 27 and occupies a recess 28 in theupper face of the gear-wheel 25. Mounted upon said gears wheel 25 arethe pawls 29, which engage the teeth of the ratchet 26 and are backed bythe springs 30. It will therefore be seen that as said shaft 3 isrotated to the right by means of the hand-wheel 4 the teeth of theratchet 26 will slip past the pawls 29 without imparting movement to thegear-wheel 25, but that when said gear-wheel is driven through arotation of the hollow shaft 20 the pawls 29 will drive theratchet-wheel 26 and impart a rotation to the shaft 3 and to the spools7, carried at the lower end thereof, through the medium of theinterposed gears connecting the hollow shaft 20 with the gearwheel 25,whereby a great increase of leverage is obtained and the operator isenabled to easily apply any pressure required to stop the car with theexpenditure of comparatively little power upon the hand-wheel 19.

Mounted upon the hollow shaft 20 is a ratchet-wheel 31, located abovethe platform of the car and adapted to be engaged by a detent or dog 32,pivoted on said platform and backed by a spring 33. This dog is normallyheld in engagement with the ratchet by the spring 33 and prevents abackward turning of the spool carrying the brake-chain,whether operatedthrough the hand-wheel at or the hand-wheel 19. Should the operator wishto slightly release the brakes after being set, the dog 32 may bedisengaged from the ratchet by the foot of the operator, when the brakesmay be eased off byallowing the hand-wheel 19 to turn backward. In thismanner the car may be perfectly controlled by the operator through themanipulation of the hand-wheel 19, as the great leverage which the trainof gears furnishes over the brake mechanism enables the operator toreadily hold the brakes at any point and increase or decrease the powerthereon at will. After the car has been stopped and it is desired torelease the brakes a vertical rod 34 is employed, which passes throughthe platform of the car and is attached at its lower end to the16V81'15, the upper end of said rod carrying a tread-plate 35, wherebythe operator by stepping upon said plate may force the lever 15 downwardto disengage the clutch from the spool 7, when said spool may turnfreely upon the shaft 3 and allow the brakechain to unwind therefrom.After the pressure has been removed from the tread-plate 35 the spring18 will raise the lever 15 and reengage the clutch with the spool 7.

To enable the brakes to be released while the motorman is seated, alever 36 is employed, which is pivoted at 37 to the platform of the carand is provided with a bell-crank 38, to the free end of which ispivoted a verticall ymovable rod 39, which passes through the platformof the car and is provided at its lower end with a fork 40, which setsastride of the lever 15, said fork being held in place by the pins 41,which extend from the lever 15 on opposite sides thereof. By amanipulation of the lever 36 the lever 15 may be depressed to disengagethe clutch from the spool 7, as will be well understood. The forkedengagement of the rod 39 with the lever 15 is such that when said lever15 is depressed, by means of the tread-plate 35, the lever 36 remainsinactive.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In abrake, the combination of the brakeshaftto which the brake-chainis connected, means for rotating said shaft to make a direct applicationof power to the brake-chain and a train of gear-wheels continuously ingear connected to the brake-shaft whereby the power maybeindireetlyapplied to the brakeshaft in a manner to obtain an increasedleverage thereon independently of the direct means for rotating saidshaft.

2. In a brake, the combination of a brakeshaft upon which thebrake-chain is adapted to wind, said shaft carrying a hand-wheel, orother means of rotating it, to wind up the brake-chain, a train of gearsconnected with the brake-shaft and means for operating said gears torotate the brake-shaft independently of the operating means connecteddirectly thereto.

3. In a brake, the combination of a shaft adapted to wind up thebrake-chain, means for rotating said shaft by a direct application ofpower thereto, a train of gears connected with said shaft whereby thepower which is applied to the shaft may be compounded, a hollow shaftconnected with said gears embracing the brake-shaft and means forrotating said hollow shaft.

4. In a brake, the combination of a brakeshaft adapted to wind thebrake-chain thereon, means directly connected with said shaft forrotating it, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft, a gear-wheel loosely mountedon the shaft and carrying a pawl which engages said ratchet, a gear andpinion engaging said ratchet-carrying gear-Wheel and means for operatingsaid gears to impart a rotation to said shaft through said ratchet.

5. In a brake, the combination of a brakeshaft, means connected directlywith said IIO shaft for rotating it, a hollow shaft embracingthebrake-shaft, a ratchet-wheel fixed on the brake-shaft, a series ofgear-wheels connecting said hollow shaft with said ratchet and means forrotating said hollow shaft.

6. In a brake, theoombination of a brakeshaft, a ratchet fixed on saidbrake-shaft, an independent shaft carrying a pinion, gears interposedbetween said pinion and said ratchet and means for rotating saidindependent shaft to apply movement to the brakeshaft through saidratchet and gears.

7. In a brake, the combination of a brakeshaft, a spool loose upon saidshaft adapted to be connected with the brake-chain, a clutch splinedupon said shaft and normally engaging said spool, means for rotating theshaft directly to wind the brake-chain upon the spool, a series ofgear-wheels connected with said shaft whereby it may be rotatedindirectly to obtain an increase of power, means for rotating said gearsand means for releasing said clutch.

8. In a brake, the combination of a brakeshaft, means for rotating theshaft directly to wind the brake chain thereon, a ratchetwheel fixed onthe brake-shaft, a gear-wheel loose on the shaft and connected by aspringpawl with said ratchet, a hollow shaft embracing the brake-shaft,a pinion on said hollow shaft, gears connecting said pinion with thegear carrying the pawl, and means for rot-ating said hollow shaft.

9. In a brake, the combination of the brakeshaft, a spool looselymounted thereon adapted to wind up the brake-chain, a clutch-collarsplined on said shaft normally in engagement with said spool, means forrotating said spool directly and indirectly a verticallymovable leverconnected with said clutch and.

means for depressing said lever to disengage the clutchfrorn the spool.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK W. ROCK. Witnesses:

E. S. WHEELER, 0. E. J OSLIN'.

